Porta-band adjustment. Need help.

[steamin10]

I just aquired a Porto-Band hand held band saw in perty good shape. Paint mostly good except for a few scratches, that seem to say gentle use, and reasonable age.

It runs fine, but after several tries, the blade runs off the rear guide, on the D handle end. I have no Idea how to adjust this thing, as it suggests an alignment problem.

I have set up many floor band saws and understand the relations of the guides and main wheels. This should be no dofferent, but I dont know where to look for the things that make it happen. The drive and idle wheel, seem to be tight without wobble unloaded, and the rubber seems ok on the wheels. So, what now. Anybody speak from experience?

I can really use this thing, with many projects waiting.

[spro]

I bought a Portaband a long time ago, from a construction company sell out. I had that very issue and I believe it was the variance of the front wheel axis, side to side. I compensated the distance of the wheel by a thin spacer shim. It is easier to see with tension off, the loose points which combine with tension on. These used the more expensive Timken "cam follower" , narrow, roller bearings as guides. They have likely been worn and need reposition or replacement.
You know all this stuff but confirmation is good sometimes.

[steamin10]

No, I do not know everything. It is often better to ask advice on things unknown before jumping off the cliff.

I did not find anything useful on the net.

[spro]

These bearing on that saw have an eccentric mounting post for alignment in one way. There is also wear of their outer races, which unless ground straight, tend to re orient the blade to different. So I went thru this and modified by flipping bearings and that didn't work so well. I sprung for the right cam follower bearings, Once. Cost about what .... anyway I have some new ones for you.

[hammermill]

dave I posted the manual for two of the popular brands. I have a old greenlee that weighs a ton and was the number one portaband until I got a couple deep cut Milwaukee .

[steamin10]

Hammer: The links on 'time' dont work for me.

This is an actual Porta-Band brand label.

It walks the band off the D handle end at idle just running. It looks to be a new blade on it.

New rollers? Just guessing.

[hammermill]

unless it has been really tweaked, new rollers are most likely the solution . look near the front release handel and see if by chance a adjustment screw for tracking is present. also is the blade a porta band blade, some time I have seen ones that were made from the wrong thickness of stock. these will give you nothing but fits.

look to the porter-gable.com web site for a manual

[steamin10]

A conversation with my Son, had us strip the blade and look for causes of the malfunction. The wheels have no wobble but turning the front idler pulley revealed a problem. The rubber band had creep-ed half way off the wheel on one side. So it appears the edge of the rubber made for the blade to track at midway, leaving one edge unsupported, part time. In 4 revolutions, the blade had walked up and off the guides. The rubbers seem ok, so I am buying a tube of cement to glue the offending rubber in place, centered on the wheel. We shall see if this is the problem, as it seems.

The thing is a Rockwell, Porta-band. Nice condition, but old. Me, being a tool junkey, I couldnt pass it up for $20, in hopes I could put it to use.

And there is no adjustable anything by the tension lever, where you lock /unlock the blade tension.

[hammermill]

I too would have a hard time passing on up for 20. the Rockwell is a solid machine and a proven design and does not have the adjustment.
it is contended the adjustment is needed for a flimsy frame compensation.
never had a problem with the milwakee or greenlee saws. the dewalt cordless is proving popular with electricians.

[steamin10]

After a day or two of curing the locktite 3X construction adhesive that is good for metal and rubber, I popped the blade on, and tried it on idle. The blade stays on but clearly runs high in the guides. It is usable at this point, but purist I am, I seek better alignment.

[spro]

I may know what to say when pressure is applied. The Milwaukee bearings had an eccentric shaft mount for adjustment. Can't say the thrust ones were. I remember the ones I replaced had grooves cut into the needles.